Compare Michelangelo's David 1501-1504 Donatello's David 1428-1432 and Bernini's David 1623?

Answer 1

Though the two statues were completed less than 75 years apart – Donatello’s in 1430 and Michelangelo’s in 1504 – Donatello’s David is considered part of the Early Renaissance period, and Michelangelo’s is considered High Renaissance.  There are other differences as well as some similarities between the two statues.  
Two obvious differences between the two Davids are the size and the materials.  Donatello’s David is bronze and stands just 5”-2 ¼” tall, while Michelangelo’s David is made of marble, and stands 13’-5”. Both are nude, though Donatello shows his David wearing a hat, and a pair of boots.  The hat on his head is made of straw, which is characteristic of a lower-class citizen in the desert, and the laurel on the top of the hat refers to the laurels worn by victorious roman generals, and so was a relevant addition at the time of its creation.
In terms of context, Donatello’s statue is a depiction of David after the fight, and is holding Goliath’s sword, looking down at the giant’s corpse.  Michelangelo’s takes place before the fight, and is holding the rock that he will throw at Goliath at the start of the fight.  Donatello’s David is looking down, so his emotion is less obvious, as his hat mostly covers his face.  Michelangelo’s David is standing with head held high, looking very content, especially for someone who is about to take on a giant.  Given the context, however, the look is befitting of David.  He had complete faith that God would help him defeat the giant, therefore he had no reason to be fearful.  Both Davids are standing in the classical contrapposto stance, where the majority of their weight is on one foot, creating a diagonal line throughout the body, and a more natural look to the statue.  
What truly makes Donatello’s David an example of the Early Renaissance period of art is the fact that his work shows the beginnings of naturalism, but his slight contrapposto stance and his extremely feminine body make this less of a natural representation.  Due to the rise of the Humanist movement, the High Renaissance period was the period of the “ideal body”.  Michelangelo’s David is a perfect example of this.  His body is supremely masculine, from head to toe, and completely representative of the “ideal man” of the time.  His contrapposto is more defined, and the contractions and relaxations of muscles more obvious.